'Captain Canada' the perfect choice for flag-bearer

Few have done more for her sport than soccer star Christine Sinclair

Christine Sinclair of Canada carries her Canadian flag during the closing ceremony.

Photograph by: Jean Levac
, Postmedia Olympic Team

LONDON -- Christine Sinclair had only just left the Olympic Stadium on Saturday, one of numberless lemmings streaming towards park exits and Javelin trains from the nighttime track, when she received the news.

"The thing is, our cellphones don't work in a lot of the venues,'' explained the inspirational Canadian women's soccer captain. "Once I get away from the stadium my cellphone just blows up. I've missed calls, texts and I'm like 'Oh no!' One of them was from Mark (Tewksbury).''

She dialed the number and asked if it was too late to talk to the Canadian chef de mission. Luckily, he happened to be standing right there.

"Then he told me and, yeah, I started crying. And then I think I broke a rule: I called my mom.

"You never expect this. I remember being a little kid, watching ... It's one thing to win a medal at the Olympics and now this. Right now, I'm in shock. Of everything. I don't think it'll sink in until we get back to Canada and really, truly see what's happened back home.''

Captain Canada's Olympic odyssey ends on the highest of notes: as flag-bearer for the closing ceremony.

With all due respect, there was simply no other choice.

For a dozen years now, Christine Sinclair has been carrying something far heavier than a flag into stadiums, far-flung and famous, on behalf of this country.

She carried hopes. Often, false ones.

So marching back Sunday evening into the venue she'd exited Saturday night -- with 80,000 people and a worldwide television audience watching, fronting a Canadian team that her indomitable spirit and sublime skill has come to represent -- the burden must've seemed light as a feather by comparison.

There were, naturally, other worthy flag-bearing candidates, among them Rosie MacLennan, who won Canada's only gold medal at these Games. But Sinclair's influence, her impact on the Canadian landscape these last two weeks, has been immense, extending miles beyond her goal-total.

She more than captured our imagination. She morphed into Canada's indomitable face at these Games.

In being blunt about the dodgy officiating in the heartbreaking, controversial loss to the U.S. -- and then sticking by her guns, refusing to back down and do the easy, politically correct thing after the dust had settled -- she won even more fans, and personified the Canadian Olympic Committee's new go-for-it attitude.

Then there was her competitive fire, captured perfectly by the laser-look she flashed coach John Herdman seconds after heading home the hat trick goal against U.S. keeper Hope Solo to stake Canada to its third lead of an unforgettable semifinal at Manchester.

Herdman was endeavouring to communicate something to his skipper amid the din and Sinclair flashed him this look. She was so caught in the moment you wondered if she might not deck him. She'd certainly just deposited the Americans on the canvas (at least temporarily).

"Obviously, this has been a very successful Olympics for me and my teammates,'' Sinclair said Sunday. "Especially after last (summer's 0-3 finish at the World Cup), I don't think anyone thought we'd get an Olympic medal a year later.

"You can be a world champion one day and the next day be fifth. It's very competitive. On any other given day we might've lost the bronze-medal game, we might've beat the U.S., or we might not have even made it out of our group.

"This has been the most amazing team. Watching fellow teammates in tears watching Canadian athletes, witnessing their successes and failure, has been absolutely moving.''

It's been that way both here and back home. The outpouring of support from Canadians, out-of-sight television numbers, the amount of positive publicity the women's game has generated out of this bronze medal has left her, left them all, a trifle bewildered.

"I am surprised. When you think of the Olympics, you think of track and field, you think of swimming. Soccer already has the World Cup. So for it to have gotten so huge back home while all these other sports are happening at the same time, I don't think any of us expected that.

"I'm either going to completely feel numb, not feel anything or I'm going to be in tears. One of the two. It's been an emotional five days. Our soccer team, we're all over the map emotionally. And then to hear Mark ask if you'd be willing to carry the flag ... very few athletes get the chance to do that. It's the hugest honour. And I'm emotional.''

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.